When my sister and I were little we would “tell” on each other – running to our mom with the latest “bad” thing the other had done. My mom would respond many times with, “Well, look at the pot who’s calling the kettle black.” I really didn’t understand it but I knew that it meant she wasn’t going to listen to any more tattle-telling. As I grew older, I understood what she was getting at with the whole kettle and pot comparison. She was pointing out that each of us had faults and was just as guilty as the other.
Read Matthew 7:1-5
Most people, when asked, would describe themselves as a “pretty good person.” We tend to consciously measure the good in ourselves and not the bad. The verses in Matthew remind us to measure the bad in our own heart not when we are happy, when things are going our way, when we are enjoying life and those in our life; but to measure the bad in our heart when things are not good, when we are in the midst of a trial, when we find ourselves disagreeing with something a friend or family member said or did – when we are angry. This is when the “bad” in us raises its ugly head. This is when the plank or log in our own eye successfully obscures our vision so that we see others’ shortcomings as worse than our own shortcomings. This is when comparison to others enters our heart and we measure our “bad” against theirs – “At least I’m not as bad as ______.”
- Would you describe yourself as a pretty good person when things are going well?
- How would you describe yourself when you are angry?
- Making a plan before tension arises is easier than beating yourself up for “over the top” responses. Make a plan now of things you can do to keep your anger in check.
- What can you do to make sure to examine your own heart before you point out others’ shortcomings?
Lord, help me to become a more accurate reflection of Jesus. Keep me from measuring the “bad” in me against my perception of the “bad” in others – help me to focus on those areas that need pruning in my own heart without comparing myself to others. When I see others’ shortcomings, remind me that I am but a pot calling the kettle black. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
